From the folklore of Serbia
One day the king went out hunting, and said to his son-in-law, “Remain here in the palace, and take these nine keys, and keep them carefully. If you wish, however,” added he, “You can open three or four rooms, wherein you will see plenty of gold and silver, and other precious things. Indeed, if you much wish to do so, you can open eight of the rooms, but let nothing in the world tempt you to open the ninth. If you open that, woe to you!”
The king went away, leaving his son-on-law in the palace, who immediately began to open one room after another, till he had opened the whole eight, and he saw in all masses of all sorts of precious things. When he stood before the door of the ninth room, he said to himself, “I have passed luckily through all kinds of adventures, and now I must not dare to open this door!” thereupon he opened it. And what did he see? In the room was a man, whose legs were bound in iron up to the knees, and his arms to the elbows; in the four corners of the chamber there were four columns, and from each an iron chain, and all the chains met in a ring round the man’s neck. So fast was he bound that he could not move at all any way. In the front of him was a reservoir, and from it water was streaming through a golden pipe into a golden basin, just before him. Near him stood, also, a golden mug, all covered with precious stones. The man looked at the water and longed to drink, but he could not move to reach the cup.
When the king’s son saw that, he was greatly surprised, and stepped back; but the man cried, “Come in, I conjure you in the name of the living God!” Then the prince again approached, and the man said, “Do a good deed for the sake of the life hereafter. Give me a cup of water to drink, and be assured you will receive, as a recompense from me, another life.” The king’s son thought, “It is well, after all, to have two live,” so he took the mug and filled it, and gave it to the man, who emptied it at once. Then the prince asked him, “Now tell me, what is your name?” And the man answered, “My name is True Steel.” The king’s son moved to go away, but the man begged again, “Give me yet one cop of water, and I will give you in addition a second life.” The prince said to himself, “One life is mine already, and he offers to give me another – that is, indeed, wonderful!” So he took the mug and gave it to him, and the man drank it up. The prince began already to fasten the door, while the man called to him, “Oh, my brave one, come back a moment! You have done two good deeds, do yet a third one and I will give you a third life. Take the mug, fill it with water, and pour the water on my head, and for that I will give you a third life.” When the king’s son heard that, he turned, filled the beaker with water, and poured it over the man’s head. The moment the water met his head all the fastenings around the man’s neck broke, all the iron chains burst asunder. True Steel jumped up like lightning, spread his wings, and started to fly, taking with him the king’s daughter, the wife of his deliverer, with whom he disappeared. What was to be done now? The prince was afraid of the king’s anger.
When the king returned from the chase, his son-in-law told him all that had happened, and the king was very sorry and said to him, “Why did you do this? I told you not to open the ninth room!” The king’s son answered, “Don’t be angry with me! I will go and find True Steel and bring my wife back!” Then the king attempted to persuade him not to go away: “Do not go, for anything in the world!” he said; “you do not know True Steel. It cost me very many soldiers and much money to catch him! Better remain here, and I will find you some other maiden for a wife; do not fear, for I love you as my own son, notwithstanding all that has happened!” The prince, however, would not hear of remaining there, so taking some money for his journey he saddled and bridled his horse, and started on his travels in search of True Steel.
After travelling a long time, he one day entered a strange city, and, as he was looking about, a girl called to him from a kiosk, “O son of the king, dismount from your horse and come into the forecourt.” When he entered the courtyard the girl met him, and on looking at her he recognized his eldest sister. They greeted each other, and the sister said to him, “Come, my brother – come with me into the kiosk.”
When they came into the kiosk, he asked her who her husband was, and she answered, “I am married to the King of Dragons, who is also a dragon. I must hide you well, my dear brother, for my husband has often said that he would kill his brothers-in-law if he could only meet them. I will try him first, and if he will promise not to injure you, I will tell him you are here.” So she hid her brother and his horse as well as she could. At night, supper was prepared in readiness for her husband, and at last he came. When he came flying into the courtyard, the whole palace shone. The moment he came in, he called his wife and said, “Wife, there is a smell of human bones here! Tell me directly what it is!”
“There is no one here!” said she. But he exclaimed, “That is not true!”
Then his wife said, “My dear, will you answer me truly what I am going to ask you? Would you do any harm to my brothers, if one of them came here to see me?” And the dragon answered, “Your eldest and your second brother I would kill and roast, but I would do no harm to the youngest.” Then his wife said, “Well, then, I will tell you that my youngest brother, and your brother-in-law, is here.” When the Dragon King heard that he said, “Let him come to me!” So the sister led the brother before the king, her husband, and he embraced him. They kissed each other, and the king exclaimed: “Welcome, brother-in-law!” “I hope I find you well?” returned the prince courteously, and he told the Dragon King all his adventures from the beginning to the end.
Then the Dragon King cried out, “And where are you going, my poor fellow? The day before yesterday True Steel passed here carrying away your wife. I assailed him with seven thousand dragons, yet could do him no harm. Leave the devil in peace; I will give you as much money as you like and then you may go home quietly.” But the king’s son would not hear of going back, and proposed next morning to continue his journey. When the Dragon King saw that he could not change his intention, he took one of his feathers, and gave it into his hand, saying, “Remember what I now say to you. Here you have one of my feathers, and if you find True Steel and are greatly pressed, burn this feather, and I will come in an instant to your help with all my forces.” The king’s son took the feather and continued his journey/
After long travelling about the world he arrived at a great city, and, as he rode through the streets, a girl called to him from a kiosk: “Here, son of the king! Dismount and come into the courtyard!” The prince led his horse into the yard, and behold! The second sister came to meet him. They embraced and kissed each other, and the sister led the brother up into the kiosk, and had his horse taken to a stable. When they were in the kiosk, the sister asked her brother how he came there, and he told her all his adventures. He then asked her who her husband was. “I am married to the King of the Falcons,” she said, “and he will come home to-night, so I must hide you somewhere, for he often threatens my brothers.”
Shortly after she had concealed her brother, the Falcon King came home. As soon as he alighted all the house shook. Immediately his supper was set before him, but he said to his wife, “There are human bones somewhere!” The wife answered, “No, my husband, there is nothing.” After long talking, however, she asked him, “Would you harm my brothers if they came to see me?” The Falcon King answered, “The eldest brother and the second I would delight in torturing, but to the youngest I would do no harm.” So she told him about her brother. Then he ordered that they should bring him immediately; and when he saw him he rose up and they embraced and kissed each other. “Welcome, brother-in-law!” said the King of Falcons. “I hope you are happy, brother?” returned the prince, and then they sat down to sup together. After supper, the Falcon King asked his brother-in-law where he was travelling. He replied that he was going in search of True Steel, and told the king all that had happened.
On hearing this the Falcon King began to advise him to go no farther. “It is no use going on,” said he. “I will tell you something of True Steel. The day he stole your wife, I assaulted him with four thousand falcons. We had a terrible battle with him, blood was shed till it reached the knees, but yet we could do him no harm! Do you think now that you alone could do anything with him? I advise you to return home. Here is my treasure: take with you as much as you like.” But the king’s son answered, “I thank you for all your kindness, but I cannot return. I shall go at all events in search of True Steel!” For he thought to himself, “Why should I not go, seeing I have three lives?” When the Falcon King saw that he could not persuade him to go back, he took a little feather and gave it him, saying, “Take this feather, and when you find yourself in great need, burn it and I will instantly come with all my powers to help you!” So the king’s son took the feather and continued his journey, hoping to find True Steel.
After travelling for a long time about the world he came to a third city. As he entered, a girl called to him from a kiosk, “Dismount, and come into the courtyard.” The king’s son went into the yard, and was surprised to find his youngest sister, who had come to meet him. When they had embraced and kissed each other, the sister led her brother to the kiosk and sent his horse to the stables. The brother asked her, “Dear sister, whom have you married? What is your husband?” She answered, “My husband is the King of Eagles.”
When the Eagle King returned home in the evening his wife received him, but he exclaimed immediately, “What man has come into my palace? Tell me the truth instantly!” She answered, “No one is here;” and they began their supper. By-and-by the wife said, “Tell me truly: would you do any harm to my brothers if they came here?” The Eagle King answered, “The eldest and second brother I would kill, but to the youngest I would do no harm! I would help him whenever I could!” Then the wife said, “My youngest brother, and your brother-in-law, is here; he came to see me.” The Eagle King ordered that they should bring the prince instantly, received him standing, kissed him, and said, “Welcome, brother-in-law!” and the king’s son answered, “I hope you are well?” They then sat down to their supper. During the repast they conversed about many things, and at last the prince told the king he was travelling in search of True Steel. When the Eagle King heard that, he tried to dissuade him from going on, adding, “Leave the devil in peace, my brother-in-law; give up that journey and stay with me! I will do everything to satisfy you!” The king’s son, however, would not hear of remaining, but next day, as soon as it was drawn, prepared to set out in search of True Steel. Then the Eagle King, seeing that he could not persuade him to give up his journey, plucked out one of his feathers and gave it him, saying, “If you find yourself in great danger, my brother, make a fire and burn this feather; I will then come to your help immediately with all my eagles.” So the prince took the feather and went away.
After travelling for a long time about the world, roaming from one city to another, and always going farther and farther from his home, he found his wife in a cavern.
When the wife saw him she was greatly astonished, and cried, “In God’s name, my husband, how did you come here?” He told her how it all happened, and then added, “Now let us fly!” “How can we fly,
she asked, “when True Steel will reach us instantly? And when he does he will kill you, and carry me back.” But the prince, knowing he had three other lives to live, persuaded his wife to flee, and so they did. As soon, however, as they started, True Steel heard it, and followed immediately. When he reached them, he shouted to the king’s son, “So, prince, you have stolen your wife!” Then, after taking the wife back, he added, “Now, I forgive you this life, because I recollect that I promised to give you three lives; but go away directly, and never come here again after your wife, else you will be lost!” Thus saying, he carried the wife away, and the prince remained alone on the spot, not knowing what to do.
At length the prince resolved to go back to his wife. When he came near the cave he found an opportunity when True Steel was absent, and took his wife again and tried to escape with her.
But True Steel learned their flight directly, and ran after them. When he reached them, he fixed an arrow to his bow, and cried to the king’s son, “Do you prefer to die by the arrow or by the sword?” The king’s son asked pardon, and True Steel said, “I pardon you also the second life; but I warn you! Never come here again after your wife, for I will not pardon you any more! I shall kill you on the spot!” Saying that, he carried the wife back to the cave, and the prince remained, thinking all the time how he could save her.
At last he said to himself, “Why should I fear True Steel, when I have yet two lives? One of which he has made me a present, and one which is my own?” So he decided to return again tot eh cave next morning, when True Steel was absent. He saw his wife, and said to her, “Let us fly!” She objected, saying, “It is of no use to fly, when True Steel would certainly overtake us.” However, her husband forced her to go with him, and they went away. True Steel, however, overtook them quickly, and shouted, “Wait a bit! This time I will not pardon you! The prince became afraid, and begged him to pardon him also this time, and True Steel said to him, “You know I promised to give you three lives, so now I give you this one, but it is the third and last.” Now you have only one life, so go home, and do not risk losing the one life God gave you!”
Then the prince, seeing he could do nothing against this great power, turned back, reflecting, however, all the time, as to the best way of getting his wife back from True Steel.
At last, he remembered what his brothers-in-law had said to him when they gave him their feathers. Then he said to himself, “I will try this fourth time to get my wife back; if I come to trouble, I will burn the feathers, and see if my brothers-in-law will come to help me.”
Hereupon he went back once more towards the cavern wherein his wife was kept, and, as he saw from a distance that True Steel was just leaving the cave, he went near and showed himself to his wife. She was surprised and terrified, and exclaimed, “Are you so tired of your life that you come back again to me?” Then he told her about his brothers-in-law, and how each of them had give him one of their feathers, and had promised to come to help him whenever he needed their assistance. “Therefore,” added he, “I am come once more to take you away; let us start at once.”
This they did, The same moment, however, True Steel heard of it, and shouted from afar, “Stop, prince! You cannot run away!” And then the king’s son, seeing True Steel so near him, quickly took out a flint and tinder-box, struck some sparks, and burned all three feathers. Whilst he was doing this, however, True Steel reached him, and, with his sword, cut the prince in two parts. That moment came the King of Dragons, rushing with his whole army of dragons, the King of Falcons, with all his falcons, and the King of Eagles with his mighty host of eagles, and they all attacked True Steel. Torrents of blood were shed, but after all True Steel caught up the woman and fled away.
Then the three kings gave all their attention to their brother-in-law, and determined to bring him back to life. Thereupon they asked three of the most active dragons which of them could bring them, in the shortest time, some water from the river Jordan.
One said, “I could bring it in half an hour.” The second said, “I can go and return in ten minutes.” The third said, “I can bring it in nine seconds.” Then the three kings said to the last one, “Go, dragon; and make haste!” Then this dragon exhibited all his fiery might, and in nine seconds, as he had promised, he came back with water from the Jordan.
The kings took the water and poured it on the places where the prince was wounded, and, as they did so, the wound closed up, the body joined together, and the king’s son sprang up alive.
Then the three kings counselled him: “Now that you are saved from death, go home!” But the prince answered, he would at all events yet once more try to get his wife back. The kings, his brothers-in-law, again spoke, “Do not try again! Indeed, you will be lost if you go, for now you have only one life which God gave you!”
The king’s son, however, would not listen to their advice. So the kings told him, “Well, then, if you are still determined to go, at least do not take your wife away immediately, but tell her to ask True Steel where his strength lies, and then come and tell us, in order that we may help you to conquer him!”
So the prince went secretly and saw his wife, and told her how she could persuade True Steel to tell her where his strength was. He then left her and went away.
When True Steel came home, the wife of the king’s son asked him, “Tell me, now, where is your great strength?” He answered, “My wife, my strength is in my sword!” Then she began to pray, and turned to his sword. When True Steel saw that, he burst out laughing, and said, “O foolish woman! My strength is not in my sword, but in my bow and arrows!” Then she turned towards the bow and arrows and prayed.
Then True Steel said, “I see, my wife, you have clever teacher who has taught you to find out where my strength lies! I could almost say that your husband is living, and it is her who teaches you!”
But she assured him that no one taught her, for she had no longer anyone to do so.
After some days her husband came, and when she told him she could not learn everything from True Steel, he said, “Try again!” and went away.
When True Steel came home she began again to ask him the secret of his strength. Then he answered her, “Since you think so much of my strength, I will tell you truly where it is.” And he continued, “Far away from this place there is a very high mountain; in the mountain there is a fox; in the fox there is a heart; in the heart there is a bird, and in this bird is my strength It is no easy task, however, to catch that fox, for she can transform herself into a multitude of creatures.”
Next day, as soon as True Steel left the cave, the king’s son came to his wife, and she told him all she had learned. Then the prince hurried away to his brothers-in-law, who waited, all three impatient to see him, and to hear where was the strength of True Steel. When they heard, all three went away at once with the prince to find the mountain. Having got there, they set the eagles to chase the fox, but the fox ran to a lake, which was in the midst of the mountain, and changed herself into a six-winged golden bird. Then the falcons pursued her, and drove her out of the lake, and she flew into the clouds, but there the dragons hurried after her. So she changed herself again into a fox, and began to run along the earth, but the rest of the eagles stopped her, surrounded, and caught her.
The three kings then ordered the fox to be killed, and her heart to be taken out. A great fire was made and the bird was taken out of the heart and burnt. That very moment True Steel fell down dead and the prince took his wife and returned home with her.
Source:
Serbian Fairy Tales, Elodie L. Mijatovich, 1918
Kotharian Lightning 